Corporal Williams lifted the cage door, but the wolf did not leave right away. First, it growled at Corporal Williams. Then, it walked over to Guido and challenged the dragon with more growls and posturing. Guido held Spot back. The wolf, satisfied the dragon would not fight, went over to one of the armored cars and urinated on a tire. Then it ran off into the forest.
* * * * *
When the released wolf got to my location, it charged, growling and snapping its jaws. I jumped back to avoid being bitten. As it lunged again, I took a swipe at it with my combat knife, just missing its throat. The wolf was amazingly agile for being so large, and easily avoided my knife. The wolf then slowly circled, preparing for a killing strike. I had no illusions about my impending death. Suddenly, the larger wolf with the chewed up ear confronted the other aggressive wolf. The two wolves violently smashed against each other in frontal attack, teeth gnashing and fur flying. As quickly as it started, the wolves stopped fighting and were gone. I was alone. I sat there for a while. When Captain Lopez and the others arrived, Lopez just handed me my cap. “You owe me big time,” he said.
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Chapter 14
The Arthropodan Military Intelligence Officer accessed the human pestilence database and read all he could find on canines in general and on wolves in particular. He ordered team leaders to hunt and trap wolves and bring a live wolf back to Headquarters for examination. The team leaders seemed reluctant, and so far none had come back. Impatient with his subordinates’ slow progress, the Military Intelligence Officer decided to do his own field research. He visited George’s Pet Shop & Grooming Center of West Finisterra to see what these canines were all about.
“Do you have any wolves for sale?” asked the Military Intelligence Officer. “I prefer a puppy. They are more manageable.”
“No, sir,” said George. “It is illegal by the Military Governor’s executive order to sell wolves or to traffic in wolf parts or hides. It’s a capital offense.”
“Finisterra is now a part of the Arthropodan Empire. It is a capital offense not to cooperate with Imperial authorities,” warned the Intelligence Officer. “I will decide what is legal or illegal, and I want to buy a wolf puppy.”
“Whatever,” said George. “I don’t sell wolves.”
“Then who does?”
“No one,” said George. “It is illegal.”
“Do you have a German shepherd for sale?” asked the Military Intelligence Officer. “I read on your human pestilence database that German shepherds and wolves are similar breeds.”
“We sold our last German shepherd last week.”
“I want a canine now. What else do you have? It has to be German, and the more aggressive, the better.”
“I could sell you a Dachshund,” said George. “They’re German. You aren’t going to eat him are you? It’s illegal to eat dogs.”
“I had never thought of that,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “Do they taste good?”
“I wouldn’t know,” said George. “People used to eat dogs a long time ago, but it is frowned upon now. I do not sell my dogs for laboratory experimentation. What assurance do I have that the Dachshund won’t be abused?”
“I give my word as an officer,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “I am considering using guard dogs to protect vital military installations. But first I need to see if they can be properly trained.”
“Dachshunds are very smart, protective, and loyal,” said George as he brought Sampson out on a leash. “And Dachshunds are very expensive.”
“Money is no object,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “Do you take VISA?”
“Of course,” said George. “May I see your ID? You will also need to buy accessories to keep your Dachshund happy. You don’t want an unhappy Dachshund.”
“Are Dachshunds dangerous?” asked the Military Intelligence Officer. “He looks like a wiener dog.”
“Shhhhhh!” warned George. “Do not say that word around him. Dachshunds are very sensitive and temperamental. Do not let his size deceive you. Dachshunds have been known to sever an ankle with one bite.”
“It is a good thing we are wearing boots,” said the Military Intelligence Officer.
“What?” asked George. “Oh, yes. Right. You need to buy dog food, a dog leash, a rubber chew bone, a dog bed, a special Dachshund blanket, and a fetch ball. This species gets real testy if you don’t play fetch. And for free I am throwing in dog care instructions. Be sure to walk your Dachshund regularly so that he gets his exercise. Fat Dachshunds are not good.”
“Thank you,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “Is there anything else I need to know?”
“If you call him by name, he will come and obey commands,” said George. “Sampson is already house trained. You can tell Sampson is particularly intelligent. See the smart bumps on his forehead?”
“He has bumps on his forehead, but dents on top,” observed the Military Intelligence Officer. “What does that mean?”
“Oh my,” commented George, surprised by the alien’s close attention to detail. “Sampson might be bi-polar. It’s nothing to worry about, as long as he gets his vitamins.”
“Excellent,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. He walked Sampson on a leash down the street to Headquarters.
Pedestrians got out of Sampson’s way as they walked. A number of female spiders commented on Sampson. “Those creatures are dangerous,” said a female spider. “Are you not afraid to be handling it?”
“I am a soldier,” boasted the Military Intelligence Officer. “I risk my life for the Empire every day. But do not worry. This Dachshund is highly trained. I will show you.”
The Military Intelligence Officer was pleased that the Dachshund not only might have military value, but it appeared to be a babe magnet, too. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small rubber ball. Sampson barked and hopped up for the ball, wagging his tail excitedly. The Military Intelligence Officer unclipped the leash, and threw the ball. “Sampson! Fetch!” he ordered.
Sampson ran after the ball. Growling, he grasped the ball in his mouth and kept on running, away from the Military Intelligence Officer. The officer chased Sampson all over West Finisterra, but the Dachshund was too quick to be caught. Finally, the Military Intelligence Officer gave up, sitting down by a street curb to catch his breath. Sampson then came back and placed the ball at his feet. The Military Intelligence Officer threw a web over Sampson and made plans to attach a GPS device on this obnoxious canine.
* * * * *
The next day at Headquarters, the Military Intelligence Officer showed Sampson to the Special Forces Commander. The Commander was not impressed. “What is this?” he asked. “I order you to capture wolves, and you bring me a wiener dog?”
Sampson immediately started barking and pulling on his leash. The Military Intelligence Officer pulled Sampson back, comforting him with a gentle pat on its head. “The big mean Special Forces Commander did not mean it. He is sorry.”
“What?” asked the Special Forces Commander. “Have you lost your mind over that wiener dog?”
“Sir, please do not use the W-word around Sampson,” pleaded the Military Intelligence Officer. “Dachshunds are very sensitive.”
“Get that Earth vermin out of my office before it makes a mess on the floor,” ordered the Special Forces Commander. “Who knows what diseases it might carry. Get it out, or I will shoot it myself!”
“Sir, this Dachshund is a highly trained hunter and tracker, and has already proved invaluable in my research on canines and wolves,” explained the Military Intelligence Officer. “He was very expensive to acquire, I might add.”
“You were cheated,” said the Special Forces Commander. “That creature is too small to have military applications. Give me a dragon any day.”
“Notice how Sampson is always sniffing about,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “Its sense of smell is perhaps its most acute asset.”
&n
bsp; “So?” replied the Special Forces Commander. “It is an ankle biter.”
“Yes, I was meaning to warn you about that,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “For my laboratory investigative purposes, the Dachshund’s small size merely makes it more manageable. It still has the same traits and characteristics as the wolf. And already tests on Sampson have given us a new weapon in the war against the wolves.”
“I doubt that,” hissed the Special Forces Commander, as he watched Sampson lift his leg by the corner of the desk. “What is he doing now?”
“By searching the human pestilence database, I discovered that our scent can be masked by the scent of common Earth animals. I have manufactured synthetic skunk odor that, if rubbed on our exoskeleton, masks our odor from Sampson, and most certainly, wolves, too. This breakthrough will make our troops invisible to the wolves at night. I believe wolves do not see well at night, and our night vision technology we will have a distinct advantage.”
“Is that what that smell is?” asked the Special Forces Commander. “I was meaning to talk to you about your grooming hygiene. Does this skunk odor wash off?”
“Eventually,” said the Military Intelligence Officer. “The human pestilence make a product called Skunk Off. I am trying to obtain a retail sample so we can duplicate the process for issue to our troops.”
“Yes, yes, you do that,” said the Special Forces Commander. “I want my commandos to be issued the skunk mask as soon as possible. Good work!”
* * * * *
The gods of war smiled on the Arthropodan Special Forces team leader today. He led his commandos behind enemy lines and successfully filmed legionnaires and scientists working with wolves and doing their experiments. But today the team leader was rewarded for his efforts with a bonus. The team leader located most-wanted war criminals Gotti, Czerinski, and Lopez. Priority was given to capture Gotti for trial, but permission was given to kill all three. The Legion had moved a battalion up to the border, but the team leader had the element of surprise on his side. Covered head to foot by camouflage nets, the commandos slowly crept past pickets and sentries into the Legion camp. Most-wanted Gotti would be the easiest target. The assassin was posted on guard duty on the perimeter. The team leader would capture Gotti personally. Fame, fortune, and promotions were all in the team leader’s grasp. All he had to do was reach out and take it.
The command tent, bristling with antennas, was a prime target. Czerinski and Lopez had been seen coming and going from the tent. A spider commando placed explosives by the tent and on a generator next to it. He finished setting the timer and turned to leave.
* * * * *
I exited the command tent via a side flap and nearly collided with a spider commando. He sliced at me with a large jagged combat knife. I just had time to raise my forearm in defense. I caught the knife blade in my metal prosthetic hand and twisted it from the spider’s grip. I then cut the spider commando across his gut. He pulled away, clutching at his exoskeleton, trying to keep himself together. I drew my pistol and shot the spider twice in the head.
I kicked the commando to make sure he was dead. That is when I saw the explosives. I yelled out an alarm to evacuate the command tent. Several explosions destroyed the tent, a generator along with some fuel, and an armored car. There was some scattered gunfire in the confusion as other spider commandos tried to withdraw.
* * * * *
Guido and Gotti had been sitting in a improvised log bunker on the perimeter. Guido was already upset about having to pull perimeter guard duty again. Czerinski seemed to have it out for both him and Gotti. Perhaps he knew about Gotti. Or maybe Czerinski just did not like Italians. But now, Guido could smell the odor of skunk. He did not think skunks had been seeded on to New Colorado, but the skunk smell was very distinct.
“Is that you I smell?” asked Guido, turning to Gotti. “You smell like something crawled up your ass and died. What did you eat earlier?”
“I didn’t do anything,” said Gotti, checking his armpits. “I smell it too, but it’s not me. Perhaps you stepped in dragon shit again.”
“It smells like skunk,” said Guido, checking his boots for guano. He found none. Guido looked out from his bunker, trying to locate a source of the smell. Perhaps a rotting carcass was hidden in the brush. The sounds of explosions and gunfire from camp put both legionnaires on alert. As they checked to their rear, two spider commandos threw a web net over them. Guido and Gotti fell helpless to the ground.
“This one is Gotti,” said the Special Forces team leader. “Kill the other human pestilence.”
“Wait,” said Guido. “I know you.”
“Guido?” asked the team leader. “Is that you? You lead a charmed life, and you owe me money.”
“There is twenty thousand dollars in my left boot,” said Guido. “You are welcome to it.”
“It is not enough,” said the team leader. “Fixing that dragon fight in Camp Alaska wiped me out.”
“If you kill me, my dragon will hunt you down and kill you slow,” threatened Guido. “But we’re friends. There is ten thousand more dollars in my right boot.”
“I am more afraid of wolves than that worn out old dragon of yours,” said the team leader, as he took Guido’s boots and money. “But this is a start. How much money do you have on your card?”
“Millions,” said Guido. “I thought we were tight. You would rob and kill me for a few dollars?”
“No of course not, Guido,” said the team leader. “I will kill you for free. I only want two hundred thousand dollars more for the trouble you are causing me. You can make a transfer from your card to my card.”
“What would keep me from canceling the transaction after you leave?” asked Guido. “The bank will not approve a transaction that large unless they talk to me first.”
“Your electronic checks are always good,” said the team leader. “I am not worried about that. It would be bad for future business if word got out you welched on a check.”
“No one would blame me for canceling a check written under coercion,” said Guido.
“Coercion?” asked the team leader. “I am not forcing you to do anything. I am only asking for just compensation for money you cheated out of me. Not killing you is treason. Would you have me take that risk without compensating me?”
“Fine,” said Guido, entering the transaction into his note pad. “I can see friendship means nothing to spiders. It’s done. Check your card.”
“Hey!” said Gotti. “What about me? I can pay you, too!”
“You have nothing I want,” said the team leader. “Your life has no value.”
“Sure it does,” said Gotti. “There is a key on a chain around my neck. The key is to a bank safe deposit box full of jewels. It’s yours if you let me go. Cut this web off me.”
The team leader snatched the chain off Gotti and tossed it to Guido. “Gotti, you are under arrest for criminal conspiracy and murder. You will stand trial on Arthropoda and then will be executed.”
“So we have a deal?” asked Guido, struggling with the web restraints. “You are taking Gotti and letting me go?”
“Not yet,” said the team leader, drawing a large jagged combat knife and poking the tip just under Guido’s chin. “I want some information. What is the Legion and its scientists doing with the wolves? Tell me about their experiments.”
“The eggheads think they can make friends with the wolves and train them to attack spiders,” said Guido. “They’re crazy.”
“The wolves are already attacking us,” said the team leader. “What have the scientists accomplished? Tell me all you know, or else.”
“They have some wolves eating handouts of dog food,” said Guido. “Most wolves still refuse all food put out for them. The scientists are trying to establish a common language by using hand signals and short commands. They are having some success. We have a kind of truce with them in that the wolves have not probed our positions or attacked recently. But you can tell by the look in th
e wolves’ eyes that they can not be trusted. The wolves hate us with every fiber of their being. Only fear and common sense holds them back.”
“The wolves have common sense?” asked the team leader. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” said Guido. “What I mean is fear of humanity is bred into them from their ancestors’ experience on Earth. But they are getting bolder.”
“Interesting,” said the team leader. “I will let you live and leave you here.”
* * * * *
AP NEWS RELEASE
Arthropodan authorities today announced the arrest of most-wanted fugitive Louis Gotti. The Mafioso kingpin had been sought in connection with the conspiracy that carried out the murder of the Arthropodan Emperor. Arthropodan sources say Gotti was hiding in plain sight by enlisting in the United States Galactic Foreign Legion and assuming an alias.
Gotti was captured when his Legion unit strayed across the border and was confronted by Arthropodan customs officers. Gotti has already confessed to traveling to Arthropoda, where he paid Mafia associates to assassinate the Emperor. Gotti is expected to be tried and executed next month.
In other galactic news, the new Arthropodan Emperor announced the choosing of a Queen. Rainbow, an Americanized brown spider from New Colorado, was presented at Royal Court today to a surprised press corps and to an adoring public. Apparently the secret romance blossomed during a recent rock concert at New Memphis. It is hoped that Queen Rainbow will be a voice of reason and moderation to the young Emperor. The last few Emperors have favored military adventurism to solve border conflicts on New Colorado.
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 3: Silent Invasion Page 14
